NSW parliament has finally passed building reforms introduced in the wake of high-profile Sydney apartment defects, with the state government declaring a “new era” for building design and construction.
Better Regulation Minister Kevin Anderson says the passing of the Design and Building Practitioners Bill 2019 is a huge step forward in rebuilding a transparent and accountable construction industry.
Owners of defective apartment buildings will benefit immediately from a statutory duty of care applicable to all new buildings and those less than 10 years old, Anderson said in a statement on June 3.
The bill made it through parliament, with amendments, alongside another piece of legislation boosting the powers of the NSW building commissioner David Chandler.
“Combined, these two bills put the interests of consumers first,” Chandler said.
“The laws will give my team a broad range of powers, including the ability to issue stop-work orders, prevent strata plan registration and occupation certificates, and to issue hefty fines for those doing the wrong thing.”
